User blog:Lathagarr Stormgale of Tronn/Lathagarr of Tronn
''Prologue'' It was a dark night. The kind of night perfect for silent attack! A black fox stood at the prow of his vessel, black tattered cloak billowing behind him in the howling winds. He smiled, and it was not pleasant. The otters had refused his generous offer. They would pay with their lives. He motioned for his soldiers to follow him and jumped into the icy shallows, fifteen hundred beasts followed the black fox that night from their various ships. They moved with utter silence and swiftness toward the otter fortress. It was a dark night. The kind of night perfect for silent attack! ---- It was the eve of his tenth seasonday and all the court smiled as the young prince blew out the candles on his cake. His mother and father, the King and Queen of Tronn, looked on, love and pride in their eyes. In the past ten seasons, the young otter had grown from a squalling infant to a sleek young otter, handsome and almost the spitting image of his father. It was after the party and he was in the nursery with his nurse and a young squirrel. His nurse sniffed back a tear. He was now old enough to leave her care and move over to the care of his squire, the young squirrel, Gyrrel, who was a few seasons older than him. She patted his head, "You're not a child anymore, my little Lathagarr. Now you get to share a room with Gyrrel..." The young squirrel gave a cheeky grin and winked mischievously, "...and learn the duties of the Prince of Tronn. Give your old nurse a kiss, dear." Young Lathagarr obliged and then asked, "Why Nur', why are you crying? Is something the matter?" He reached a paw up and brushed a tear away from her cheek. She smiled and blew her nose in her apron. "Why no, deary. Nothing's wrong, it's just that Nur's done her duty and now she's going home and she'll miss her little Lathagarr." "Oh, I'll miss you too, Nur', dear. But we will see each other again? You're not leaving forever?" "Nay, darling, I'll come and visit you. Would you care to ride with me on my way home? It would be good to have two such strong lads to guard a poor old nurse on a night like this." Gyrrel smiled and bowed "Ach, aye, marm, we'll tek care of ye, won't we, Lathy?" Lathagarr stood and smiled at his friend then put on a brave face. "Aye, Nur' ye'll be safe with us!" The old otter stood and patted their heads and followed as they headed for the stables. Gyrrel opened a stall and whistled. "C'mon out, Buttercup! Wan' tae goo fer a ride, eh?" A big sand lizard emerged and nodded her head then scampered over to a cart, ready to be hitched. Gyrrel almost fell laughiing and the laughter spread among the group. "Aye, she's as kipper's a from at suppertime an' itchin' tae goo!" Lath headed back to the main fortress, calling over his shoulder, "I'll tell Mother and Father we're going!" It was dark and the wind wailed and buffeted the young otter as head climbed the slope toward the main fortress, staggering on the uneven clumps of grass and clover. Then he heard yells above the wind and saw shadowy figures at the open gates, rushing in. He started running and a bolt of lightning ripped across the sky, sending torrents of rain rushing down. He staggered to a stop as a cloaked figure loomed out of the darkness. There was a flash of pain in his skull and he stumbled and fell. Then all went black. Chapter One * The following comes much later in the story Summer was at it's height. All across the beach, otters were laughing, swimming, playing. Rhynn Steelrudder watched as her youngest son, Wave, proudly showed her his diving skills in the shallow water along the tideline. Her other two sons Thorinn and Gale came running up to her yelling, "They're here! They're here!" She looked up and asked, "Who's here?" Then she saw a group of otters coming along the beach toward her. She could just make out the first three; her brother, Torgun Whaletooth and his two burly sons, Breffin and Dufflin, her nephews. Category:Fan Fiction Category:Blog posts